COLUMBIA, SC (WACH) — Tyrone Cyrus, 50, owner of Kiki’s Chicken and Waffles, has been arrested and charged with four counts of tax evasion after allegedly underreporting more than $3 million in sales from 2018 through 2021.
South Carolina Department of Revenue agents said Cyrus reported $8.19 million in taxable sales over the period, while the business’s actual sales totaled more than $11.19 million, resulting in an estimated $231,701 in unpaid state sales tax.
Yearly breakdown of alleged underreporting:
- 2018: $1,830,916.65 reported; $26,708.61 allegedly evaded
- 2019: $2,709,712 reported; $79,301.31 allegedly evaded
- 2020: $2,287,628.49 reported; $742,735.55 allegedly evaded
- 2021: $4,367,451.80 reported; $69,616.58 allegedly evaded
Cyrus, who filed the chain’s sales tax returns, faces up to five years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine per count, plus prosecution costs if convicted…